Say it ain't so, Joe

I stage managed my college theater department's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" during the fall semester of my junior year. It was a quasi-modern, stylized production of the play, with techno music, a seemingly infinite number of stage cues and our department's first experience with moving lights.

They were the best of times...yeah, the worst, too. I can look back at the production and grin, almost miss it, but recognize that I was a highly wound bundle of stress for a good three months.

On opening night, the run went well and we were all estatic. As I oversaw the equipment being broken down for the night, the director approached me with notes about what to work on for the next night.

It involved changing some of the cues.

I looked at him -- a New York-based artist in town on a guest director position -- and kindly but firmly informed him that his part of the creative process had come to a close.

"We're performing before audiences now. No changes," I told him. "Trust the production."

I offer that to segue into Yankees baseball. Once again, the pinstripes were knocked out of postseason play in the first round. Once again, I was gleeful (if my team can't be in the playoffs, I wanted to watch the Yankees lose).

But today, the news that Joe Torre would be either fired or expected to quit infuriated me. Sure, as a Sox fan, I would love to see the Torre dynasty fall; as a baseball fan, I have to protest such an asinine move.

I have issues with the Yankees organization. I acknowledge that such distain comes primarily from the fact that I have been bred to dislike them.

I have qualms with specific players, although I again acquiesce. They are athletic dynamos. But...yeah. There's always a but when it comes to the Yankees.

Jeter is one hell of a shortstop, but he radiates icy composure when I see him play, not the heart-sweat-fire intensity I look for in a player. A-Rod demonstrated in the 2004 ALCS that he cheats and is a crybaby, two qualities I simply can't condone. Giambi - steroids. Damon lied.

The one member of the organization I can honestly say I respect -- I'd almost go so far as to say LIKE is Joe Torre. A lot.

The man is talented, and he's classy, which earns big points with me. He demurs when given chances to bash other teams, players or managers, even as the man probably most in position to make such digs.

He's also spent years answering to the will of a man who really might be one of the world's most ridiculous, expectant, obnoxious bosses. He could have left a couple of years ago - thought about it - but stuck around because he was told that things would get better, in terms of dealing with the man upstairs.

I know what you're saying...but what about the playoffs?

Let's look at the math, much of which was laid out today by Boston's moptop snarkster, Dan Shaugnessy. The Yankees are 0-6 in championships over the last six years. The biggest choke in baseball history back in '04, followed by two first-round eliminations (tee hee -- sorry, couldn't help myself).

But when does the responsibility fall on the players out there on the field, in the lineup? When a team simply does not perform, what can a manager do to get them to flip the switch?

Here's the real situation, gang: The Yankees have earned, what, nine straight East Division titles? Since Torre's come on board, the Yankees have been consistently the team to beat in the AL.

The payroll helps, of course, but I believe it's because Torre is capable of taking superstars and making them conform within a team dynamic. Talk to any manager about how that works out -- hell, talk to Tito about Manny.

He prepped the team throughout the regular season. Worked out the kinks, encountered the hiccups that come along the way, created a cast most condusive to delivering.

I have a hard time blaming him for a cast that knew all their lines during dress rehearsal, but choked on opening night.

If his players can't step up and realize the importance of post-season play, what is Torre supposed to do?

The director can't take a spot beneath the spotlight.